one night

.

one night the police will call

your older son will hang up
 
because it's too late for calls

the second call he answers with

an abrupt "who is this?"


now he's at your bedroom door

knocking

enters the blackness

you and your wife are asleep

"it's the police"


your older son is crying in the dark

as he hands you the phone

this is about

your other son

a floor dropping sickness

roils your insides

but

he is not dead

because

the cops say

something about marijuana

a significant amount

you need to come pick him up

you mentally plan

a trip to disneyland

to celebrate the gift

of another day

or perhaps you

will kill him yourself

for disturbing  your illusions

with reports from the afterworld

of your mothers laughter

and her clichéd retorts

about middle children

and paybacks